The present invention relates to turbine generator synchronizer systems and more particularly to synchronizer systems especially adapted for combined cycle electric power plants.
To synchronize a generator to a power system, the generator field is adjusted to obtain a voltage match and the prime mover is controlled to obtain a frequency and phase match before the breaker is closed. An automatic electronic synchronizer can be employed in conjunction with a turbine control system and a generator voltage regulator to generate the turbine speed, field setting and breaker closure signals, or an operator can perform manual synchronization by manually generating like control signals. Automatic digital computer synchronization can also be performed without a separate automatic synchronizer as set forth in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 276,508 or as set forth in another copending and coassigned patent application Ser. No. 408,962, entitled "System And Method For Starting, Synchronizing And Operating A Steam Turbine With Digital Computer Control", filed by T. C. Giras and R. Uram on Oct. 23, 1973 as a continuation of an earlier filed parent application.
In the startup of combined cycle electric power plants where multiple generators are interrelated through the energy conversion process and typically reach synchronization readiness at different times and often must be separately synchronized to different power lines, it is desirable to place a positive control on the synchronization process to achieve full plant automation. Multiple generators in a single power plant have been synchronized to common or different power lines sequentially from an operator panel through switching operations made at the panel, but generally those systems have involved generators driven by energy derived from a single cycle heat source. In the above reference patent application Ser. No. 495,728 there is disclosed an automatic synchronizer system which is employed in a combined cycle electric power plant like the plant disclosed in Ser. No. 399,790 and Ser. No. 495,765. The present patent application is directed toward a synchronizer system which provides an interface between a manual synchronizer system and an automatic synchronizer system like the referenced one and further to logic structure employed in the system to provide reliable and efficient turbine-generator synchronization for the combined cycle electric power plant.
The description of prior art herein is made on good faith and no representation is made that any prior art considered is the best pertaining prior art nor that the interpretation placed on it is unrebuttable.